A Birthday Fiasco
by starryfan17
Summary: When Natalie's birthday arrives, Dan has an idea. However, with constant interruptions, hope has begun to fade. Natan. Writing challenge from scrittore18.


**A Birthday Fiasco**

 **Summary:** When Natalie's birthday arrives, Dan has an idea. However, with constant interruptions, hope has begun to fade. Natan. Writing challenge from scrittore18.

 **Characters: Natalie K., Dan C., Amy C., Ian K., Hamilton H., Jonah W.**

 **Genre: romance, humor**

 **Beta: scrittore18**

 **Complete date: 7/17/16**

 _i._ **"** **When I saw you, I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew."**

"...Hey, Nat, we can go on a date—"

"No, I can't, Dan. I know, it's _morning_ , but I have plans,"

Dan frowned, rubbing his temples. "It's your birthday, I get that...I never heard you'd plans unless you never mentioned it to me?"

Natalie sighed. "Sophie called me a week ago, and wanted us to reunite at the mall. To shop and talk, we haven't seen each other in years."

"She's the Janus who spied on you and tried to get information from your branch? I thought you wouldn't hang out with her?"

"That was years ago, Dan. She is an agent, yes, a busy one—but we're still very good friends, just that we lost touch, and we're adults now. After lunch with Sophie, we'll go on a date."

Dan nodded. "'Kay, where do you want to meet—"

She looked down at her golden watch. "I'm late. I'll tell you when I get back. As you may know, it's terribly rude to be late, especially in a reunion. Toodles!" she waved at Dan, and twisted the doorknob, away from the hallway into outside. Slam!

He could handle a few hours. Nothing big, he'd chat with Jonah and Ham while she did her own thing.

 _ii._ **"Remember the first day we talked to each other? 'Cause that's what started you and I."**

"Yo, Dan, didn't you ask her this morning?"

"She said that she had plans,"

"That's odd," Hamilton frowned, tapping his fingers on the table. "I mean, sure, she could be modeling and things like that, but isn't this her break?"

"She was meeting an old friend,"

"She said she'll come back after lunch?" Skeptically, Jonah knitted his eyebrows together. "You never know how long women will talk,"

"She'll follow through. She said it herself,"

"We're with you all the way, Dan. Good luck with the Question."

Dan smiled slightly. "I'm gonna need it. I'm sure things will go fine."

With the bell resounding its ring across the hallways into the kitchen, Dan jumped out of his chair. Jonah and Ham gave him two thumb ups. Natalie was back, just promptly like she promised.

They met halfway through the hallway. He smiled at her. "How did it go?"

"Much better than I originally thought. Sophie's changed a lot, of course, and it was a lovely time. We're going to try to email a couple times a week,"

"That's good," Dan moved forward to embrace her. Responding, Natalie returned it. With his head beside her silky hair, a pine odor reminded Dan of their family camping trip last year. Unfortunately it only lasted for a few seconds.

"Ahem." Ian's voice cleared, and they broke their embrace. "I'm sorry to interrupt your time, but I'd like to steal Natalie. Don't fight me on this, Daniel, I'm going to have some family time with her. You'd have plenty of your time with her later. Dearest sister?"

Natalie sweetly nodded, and tossed her hair. "If you aren't aware, we arranged a date this morning. Surely, you can wait?" Ha! One point for Natalie, she knew what she was doing, no doubt, hands down.

He resisted the urge to throw a sneer at Ian. After all, she was twenty four; he should have already accepted their relationship years ago. However, he grimaced slightly, the last time he and Ian talked about their relationship; it...wasn't the best experience. To propose to her...Ian wouldn't throw a fit, would he? No, he was way too old.

Apparently Ian took Dan's grimace as submission to keep the peace between them. Dang, a point for Ian... "You'd spend all of your time with Daniel. It doesn't kill you to spend time with your own brother. For a few hours, Natalie, that's all I ask."

"Dan? Are you okay with it?" She had lost the battle. Why was she quick to submit?

He forced a smile, almost gritting through his teeth. "Go ahead, Natalie. It's your birthday, and you can choose for yourself."

"Well said, Daniel, that is sage and thoughtful of you to consider someone else than yourself." Dan bit his tongue. No, he wouldn't ruin his girlfriend's birthday or mood just because Ian was being difficult.

Dan almost swore that he noticed his girlfriend's face fall. Quickly, she seemed to cover it up. Turning her heel to her brother, she spoke: "Let's go, then. I'll meet you at the Ferrari. I need to grab my purse."

Both the Kabras left, with Ian smirking. The silence was disconcerting.

Was there any chance he could propose?

 **"** **Sometimes people are beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are."**

 _Later in the day:_

Dan gazed out at the window, and he blew out a sigh. Ian may have taken his chance, but there was still twilight and night left...right? Certainly, he didn't want to propose while the other Cahills and his sister were dining tonight.

"Dan? Did you manage?" Amy popped in the kitchen, and then put her hand on his shoulder. His gaze remained on the skies, through the glass.

"No. She went to meet a friend, and Ian stole her when she just came back. We planned a date, but it didn't work out,"

"Hey, Dan, there's still hope," Amy nudged him gently. He faced her. "There's still night. Today doesn't end until midnight. I bet you still have a chance; you just don't have a perfect opportunity yet. Does Natalie like cupcakes, if I remember correctly?"

"Ian's gonna flip once he finds out. We almost got into a fight today. Yeah, she does," Dan slumped.

"Cheer up, I was thinking you can bake cupcakes for her as an additional gift along with the ring. A bonus that you'd done it by your hands," Amy's face crinkled with joy. Quietly, she sighed. "I'll talk to Ian. Don't worry about him."

"I can't bake, Ames. I can't."

"I can help you get started. You're good with math, Dan, and some of it involves it; you'd do fine."

As silly as it may seem, his sister had given him a flare of hope.

 **"** **Exterior beauty, without the depth of a kind soul is merely a decoration."**

"The cupcakes are burning. Shoot, shoot, shoot! Got to take them out!" Dan yelled, as he rushed inside the kitchen.

Natalie's voice rang out faintly: "What?" It was added, "Ew, where's that horrible stench come from?" A bell rung and flapped against the door. Right, she came back from her time with Ian and some appointment she made weeks ago.

"Nothing!" Dan shouted back, and he pulled out them. His heart sank. There were charcoal edges around the cupcakes. Great. Hopefully, it would pass Natalie's standards. On top of it, he somehow had to hide them, and frost it while she was entertained somewhere else.

Hastily, he ran his hands through the drawer; then he ripped off a piece of aluminum foil from a package, and then slapped it on the tray. He slid them into the refrigerator when she entered, her fingers twirling her hair.

"What was that?"

He shrugged. Be natural as possible. "It'd be hardly an interest to you. Do you still want to go out?"

Her laugh rang like a tingle of bells. "Why yes, Dan, after all, it _is_ my birthday. Spending time with Ian was good, yes, but he can be quite a bore after a while!"

"'Kay, cool, because you know, you had been out a lot, and I thought you'd be beat?"

"I do admit I'm a bit fatigued, but I want to spend time with you, Dan. It would be rather one of the more lovely highlights of the day, hm?"

"Okay, then, let's leave."

"Daniel!" Ian dropped by, his face was of annoyance. Uh oh. "It's urgent. You and me only. Now."

"Dude, chill, we're just trying to leave—"

"Ian. What's the problem?"

"It's man to man talk only. Don't pester me or bother trying to eavesdrop. Dan must come with me. No, I will not 'chill,' as you Americans say." Natalie's face seemed to screw up, however, quickly, she became emotionless.

"I'm sorry, Natalie." He sent a look at Ian, scowling.

 **"** **True love isn't easy; it must be fought for. Because once you find it, it can never be replaced."**

"You realize that you're asking to spend the rest of your life with her? She'll have faults, she'll have days where she'd be difficult, and of course..." Disgusted, Ian sniffed, glaring at Dan. "...There's me. As you may know, I'm not a huge fan of your relationship,"

"O wise Ian, what's your point?"

"Natalie may not realize that the Question you're asking is a life altering decision, and she needs to keep herself stable. Don't be immature; this is a serious matter." His gaze slithered over to Dan's, amber eyes analyzing his expression on his face. How snakelike, how _Cobra-ish_ , which had Dan not known his girlfriend's elder sibling and was someone normal, he'd been intimidated by it. Immature? Can Ian could tell the difference between immaturity and joking around? Most likely not, or he didn't bother.

"You're not going to take it away from her, are you?"

"You're a questionable person to qualify for a husband."

"Oh yeah? I'm questionable? Think about _her_! Didn't you say something earlier that it is good to think for others than yourself?"

Ian's jaw tightened. "Don't get _her_ involved in this!"

"You're going to rob her happiness away, are you?"

"I'm not intentionally robbing it away. No, I will not stoop as low as that. I'm just...merely showing concerns..." He hesitated, looking down at the floor from their locked gaze.

"You want her to have a good life. It's her choice, not yours. You know, we can't control how we feel for each other. I never expected it coming at all. Life loves to make jokes, eh?"

"Not jokes, Daniel. Oh well, it _is_ her choice after all. We'll see if she even accepts it."

 _iii._ **"You weren't just a star to me, you were my whole sky."**

Dan Cahill's hands gripped against the wooden railings, and the moonlight shifted from the clouds, glistening down at the emerald lawn. The air blew gently, and slightly, Dan shivered.

Recounting clearly from their discussion, he drooped. Ian's last words still rung in his head; _we'll see if she even accepts it._ However, Amy, Ham, and Jonah seemed optimistic that she would. Although at times Ian may be a jerk, it was understandable that he'd be protective over her, even if she was an adult; he could have done similarly for Amy.

Amy...

 _"_ _I'm sorry, Dan! I was talking to Ian, and I slipped. I'm really sorry. I promise I'll talk to him once he cools down," Amy flushed guiltily._

 _"_ _Cools down, Amy? Ian's already flipped, and I still hadn't found a chance yet!"_

 _"_ _I know..."_

 _"_ _Ian needs to let go of her."_

 _"_ _He cares about Natalie, Dan. She's his only family left, providing Vikram may not contact them again."_

 _"_ _Providing? Vikram is probably still lurking around! Who knows, he could be out of Brazil!"_

 _"_ _Vikram isn't your biggest concern now, Dan. Don't worry about Ian. If he isn't happy, he isn't. Maybe he'll be more relaxed once he realizes that Natalie is happier with you."_

 _There lied an absolute silence. Dan turned away from Amy, and sighed exasperatedly, rolling his eyes. Amy had too much faith in Ian. She didn't see how rigid and difficult he was during their discussion. He bristled._

"Hey, Dan," A saccharine voice greeted, and his girlfriend sauntered up to him. Turning his face to her, he noticed, she somehow managed to keep her appearance pristine throughout the day. Which, it was a mystery he couldn't quite grasp. "You know, Ian told me about it. I'm sorry about the interruptions. Sophie and Ian really took much more time than I realized of today; I really wanted to squeeze you in," Her tone lowered, and then she yawned.

Dan blinked. Looking at her, he frowned. "I wanted to do it this morning, and then, you had plans, and I decided to try to do it at the date, but...that fell apart. I wanted everything to go smoothly. Natalie, Ian wasn't terribly jolly about me proposing to you."

"I had talked to him. He'll get over it. He won't take my happiness away; he isn't that ludicrous like Isabel."

Isabel. A woman nobody liked and was daunted of, once she torn down her façade; indeed, she had the world wrapped around her finger through her seemingly truthful sugar coated lies. Beneath the woman, there was a heartless, cunning snake who would sacrifice anything to reach to her goals

Natalie squeezed his hand. A warm, tingly feeling spread over him. He recalled when they first got together, ten years ago. Through ten years, events and they had changed.

"The moon's glowing...it's so cool unlike the day," Dan stared at her, while Natalie's gaze remained on the scenery.

"I'm giving a go here," Dan shrugged, and pulled out a tiny, velvety box from his pocket.

"You had this ring with this entire day?"

Dan nodded, kneeling down. "Natalie, when we first met at the funeral and the beginning of the clue hunt—we squabbled like little kids, didn't get along because we were so different. Different ideas, upbringings, so different that I never crossed in my mind that we'd end up like this, or interacting at all. Before your kidnapping," Natalie winced at the memory. "Somewhat, even though you were improving, I began to care for you; I never knew it'd go much deeper later on. Anyways, you'll always be my cobra..." he laughed, and the box's opening squeaked. Natalie rolled her eyes, almost quite ready to smack his arm; rather than the box out of his grip. "So...will you marry me?"

It was simple and to the point. Natalie stared at the ring, briefly. "Yes, Dan, I will spend my life with you, but don't expect me to put up with your video games."

Dan brightened, grinning. "Dang it, I was hoping I can get away with it. Anyway, I have a gift for you. Cupcakes!"

Natalie glowed. "Cupcakes? You made them? I didn't know you could bake."

"Amy helped me but I did it mostly by myself."

"You're in charge of the food department. I think it'll do wonderfully!"

"I'm hardly a cook—"

"Shh, let's enjoy the moment." She wrapped her arm to his.

 **A/N: The first quote is from William Shakespeare, and then the rest of them are anonymous. Anyway...this is for scittore18's challenge of the marriage proposal fail. :) So, they're adults. I somewhat imagined to have Natalie's birthday to be in June.**

 **Special thanks for scrittore18 for beta-ing it. I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **-Lexie**


End file.
